North West premier shakes up provincial cabinet

The troubled North West government has made several changes to its Provincial Executive Council (PEC), with four MECs being fired as premier Job Mokgoro aims to stabilise the province.

Giving an update on Thursday on the outcomes of the assessment of his provincial performance since his election on June 22, Mokgoro said that great progress had been made, but more work had to be done.

In his sweeping changes, Mokgoro retained four members of the executive and introduced four new heads of portfolios.

The biggest change came with the firing of Health MEC Magome Masike. Under Masike's tenure, health workers went on strike for three months, leaving an already strained health care system crippled. He has been replaced with former MEC for Public Works Madoda Sambatha.

Social Development MEC Hoffman Galeng was replaced by the head of Human Settlements Fenny Gaolaolwe. Public Works MEC Mmule Maluleka was sacked and replaced by former Transport MEC Oageng Molapisi.

According to the premier, irregular expenditure and contracts are "receiving attention, while measures are being put in place to ensure proper procurement processes in the province".

"We would like to appreciate the law enforcement agencies that are currently busy with various forensic investigations in the province; those are the Directorate for Priority Crimes Investigation, better known as the Hawks, and the Special Investigating Unit."

He said those investigations would assist provincial government in "cleaning and rooting out all elements that seek to undermine our democracy from further contaminating our public service".

"I wish to also appreciate all those that are committed to a clean and corruption-free provincial administration. We are now starting to see stability in our financial control systems [and] much more stability in our supply chain management systems."

He said the relationship between organised labour and the provincial government had also improved.

There have been major changes in the province this week, with the mayors of seven municipalities being given orders to resign by the ANC's provincial task team. However, the mayors are refusing to go.